Government troops have been fighting the Maute group in Marawi for over a month now. As of July 7, 366 terrorists, 87 government troops, and 39 civilians have been killed.

Thousands of families meanwhile have been displaced from their hometown as the war wages on. The military has been conducting air strikes to flush terrorist snipers out of their hiding places.

In a decision last week, the Supreme Court upheld the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, which was declared after the attack on Marawi by the Maute group.

Duterte's martial law declaration expires on July 22, based on the 60-day constitutional limit. This is just a couple of days before the President delivers his second state of the nation address (SONA).

The President may seek an extension from Congress if he deems this necessary. The House Speaker, however, said the President has yet to discuss there matter with Congress.

While Alvarez believes an extended period of martial law is needed in Mindanao, the lawmaker does not see the necessity of expanding it to Luzon and Visayas.